Through the Looking Glass
by TheDoctorOrGabriel
Summary: Damon has the life he always wanted. Life with Elena. But what if it wasn't real. Damon has to choose between two worlds. The real world and his perfect one. Will Damon choose to live forever in a dream or come back to a harsh reality.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Vampire Diaries

Author's note: This is my first Vampire Diaries fic. . . .I hope it's alright, please review so I know to continue!

Strong arms enclosed Elena's slim waist, causing her eyes to flutter open and blink rapidly. A beam of golden sunlight pierced through the open slit in the curtains, illuminating the semi-dark room. Elena smiled and put her hand over the firm, gentle ones. "And good morning to you too, Mr. Salvatore."

"Good dream, Elena?" a smooth, silky voice replied in her ear.

"No, but waking up in your arms made everything better." She responded and rolled over to face her lover. "What about you?"

"It still feels like I'm dreaming with you here in my arms." The vampire cooed and ran a hand through her silky chocolate brown hair. "I could lie here all day with you."

Elena closed her eyes and smiled, capturing this moment for all eternity. His embrace was soft and warm, it made her sigh with pleasure. Suddenly, a thought entered her brain, that made her a bit worried and nervous. "Hey. . .When I wore that old dress for Founder's Day. . .did you see me as Katherine?" she whispered.

"No. I look at you, and I don't see Katherine at all." He firmly reassured her. But Elena still looked troubled. "You're sweet," he kissed her hand. "You're caring," he kissed her forearm. "You're beautiful," he kissed her shoulder. "You're the one I love," he kissed her cheek. "You're Elena," he kissed her lips, making Elena smile. He looked deep, and lovingly into her eyes—into her soul, "You're the only one I see."

Elena melted into his eyes, she just wanted to crawl into his eyes and live there, it was so strikingly beautiful. "I love you, Damon Salvatore." She happily sighed.

"And don't you forget it!" his eyes glowed. "And I love you, from now until forever." He promised.

The couple lay holding each other lovingly for the next couple minutes, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. Elena kissed him on the nose and sat up, she swung her legs off the side of the bed and tried to stand up. Damon's arms snaked around her waist and pulled her back on top of him, making Elena laugh.

"I have to get ready for school! Damon! Let go!" Elena giggled as she playfully shoved at Damon's grasp. "Damon!"

"Why? School is so dull." He drawled. "You'll have more fun here, with me. . . .in bed." Damon pulled her closer, Elena scoffed. "Besides, school is so-human! "

"Well I am human." Elena laughed.

"Yeah? How is that?" Damon inquired. "Must be soooo boring!"

"Only when you're around!" she teased as she pulled at his fingers.

Damon mockingly gasped. "Take that back!" he started to tickle her, making her shriek with laughter. "Say it!"

Elena in a fit of giggles hit him over the head with a massive pillow. He released her and she scrambled out of the comfy bed. "No!" she squeaked as she hurried toward the door.

Damon turned and looked at her with a gleam in his eyes. "Say it, Miss Gilbert." With inhuman speed he launched himself from the bed and held her waist. "Don't make me tickle it out of you."

Before Damon could move his fingers, Elena wriggled out of his arms and pecked him on the cheek. "I'm going to school." She put a finger to his lips before they could protest. "Shhh! And you're going to stay here and be all sexy." She kissed him on the lips. "See you later." And walked out of the door.

"You little tease!" Damon smirked and flopped back onto his bed. He lifted his head up when he heard Elena come back.

"And you're such a joy to be around." Elena winked and went back out. "Love you!" she called and Damon heard the front door slam.

Damon sighed, content, and closed his eyes.

Damon opened his eyes; his vision was blurry and could barely make out the shapes moving rapidly in front of him. His head was throbbing, and his whole body hurt and felt super tired.

Something was wrong.

Something was very, wrong.

Everything felt wrong and different.

But he also felt sooo right.

Damon blinked groggily, trying to focus. He vaguely realized he was surrounded by a number of people, and he was lying down in his bed in the Salvatore house. But he was in a different position and he could feel himself sweating. Damon tried to move his arms, but found that were restrained by tight bounds to his bed. He tried the same with his legs/ He was strapped to his own bed! Damon started to panic.

"Oh! He's awake!"

Damon turned his head to see Bonnie, Stefan, Alaric, Caroline and Elena rush towards him. Damon blinked some more, trying to focus. Bonnie and Alaric were at his bedside, Stefan was at the foot of the bed, and Caroline was watching from a nearby chair. Damon's eyes felt heavy.

"Damon, can you hear me?" a soft voice whispered.

Damon's mind was still very disoriented, he felt dizzy and sick. He felt like he was waking up from a very deep sleep, but at the same time falling back into a deep slumber. His eyes started droop dangerously low, his ears were starting to tune out. The vague outline of Elena was the last thing he saw and barely registered in his brain.

His eyes closed.

"Damon. . ." the voice grew softer and faded into blackness.

Damon faded into blackness.

Damon jolted upright in his bed. He whipped his head around, his breathing was heavy and his eyes wide. He was in his bed-his room was empty. No sign of life ever being in there with him. His eyebrows raised in confusion, _'What the hell?'_ he thought wildly to himself. He checked his arms and legs, no binds, he was as free as a bird. Damon breathed deeply and settled back down. His undead heart racing in his chest. _'That was some crazy drea-'_ distant footfalls cut off his train of thought. His full attention and focus was on the nearing footsteps. He flashed his I-Get-What-I-Want-When-I-Smile smile when he saw Elena's head poke through the doorway. All previous thoughts and fears, vaporized in his mind and became forgotten to him.

"What the hell!" Elena cried as she ran and jumped into Damon's arms. "I can miss a day of school."

Damon let her snuggle into his arms. "Naughty girl! Tell me; are his history lectures that boring? I bet Alaric won't mind."

"No, but Jenna will. And she'll probably tell Alaric to shoot you and then you two will fight . . . .like yesterday." Elena sighed. "I love you, Damon." She looked into his stunning eyes.

Damon kissed the top of her head and looked into her eyes. "And I'm not going anywhere."


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Vampire Diaries

Author's note: Sorry it took so long to update, my computer was broken. . . anyways, enjoy!

"It's mid-day and we haven't moved!" Elena exclaimed as she played with her hand entangled with Damon's. "You're so lazy!"

"Me!" Damon answered incredulously. "I remember it was a certain someone who decided to ditch school to stay in bed with me."

"Yes, but you said I'd have more fun." Elena smiled.

"And did you?" Damon kissed her hand.

"Yes."

"So why are you calling me lazy?" he playfully poked her side making her jump.

"Because you're cute when you're being picked on!" Elena giggled as she poked him back.

"You're such a bully!" he teased. He looked down at his girl in his arms. "You hungry? I'll make lunch. What do you want?" Damon stretched as he got out of bed. "Besides me." He winked.

"Don't be a perv!" Elena pushed him back down as she stood up. "I want. . . .one of everything!"

Damon and Elena walked down hand-in-hand, laughing and smiling at each other. When they reached the kitchen they found Stefan sitting there reading the paper.

He glanced up at them and smiled."And the lovebirds finally eat."

"Hey, Stefan." Elena said cheerily.

"And what are you doing here, little brother?" Damon asked as he made his way through the cupboards. "Doesn't some bunnies need saving?"

Stefan smiled at him but didn't reply. "Don't you have school?" he turned to Elena. "I hear Alaric is giving a riveting lecture today." He rolled his eyes.

"I skipped."

"Damon is such a bad influence on you." Stefan said mockingly. He looked at his brother going through the frig.

Elena took a seat next to Stefan. "What's going on in the world?"

"Well-another animal attack." Stefan shrugged.

Damon huffed but didn't look up. "Stefan! Control your girl! If Katherine's not careful, we're going to be celebrities in this town." He flashed a smile. "Not that I'm not popular enough." Elena smiled at him. "Where is Katherine?"

"At school." Stefan sighed and Elena's eyes widened. "Don't worry, she won't do anything bad. I promise." Stefan added quickly.

"Why is she at my school?" Elena asked worriedly.

"She said she wanted to mess with Alaric." Stefan rolled his eyes. "And she hasn't been to school in a couple decades. She wants to see what's new."

"Will she do my homework?"

"She's as bad at school as Damon." Stefan replied making Elena laugh and a got a glare from Damon.

Damon walked back over and set a plate of apples, oranges and a potato in front of Elena. She stared at the plate in front of her not saying anything, then looked at Damon. "Okay. . . .what is this?"

"All we have." Damon pursed his lips. "I know, even your school serves better food. The frig is practically empty!" he watched Elena eat a couple of slices of apples and orange wedges. "But I tried to cook it real nice!" he winked.

"It's apples and oranges! You don't need to cook it!" Stefan pointed out.

"Shut up!" Damon snapped.

All 3 of them looked at the potato.

Elena poked it with her finger.

It rolled.

All 3 of them continued to stare at the potato.

"Damon—why'd you give her the potato?"

"A growing girl needs her vegetables!"

"But not a raw potato!"

"Shut up, Stefan! It's all we have!" Damon shouted as he picked up the potato and threw it at his little brother. "Buy more groceries!"

Stefan angrily launched the potato back at Damon.

This continued for a few minutes, and Elena just watched her two favorite boys.

"Who knew you two would be so close as brothers?" Elena sighed. Then ducked.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Elena sat in a nearby chair, so she could keep an eye on Damon. She continued to bite her lip and twindle her thumbs, while watching for any sign of life from Damon. But he was as still as Death, which made her uneasy. Elena knew Vampires could keep still for a long time, but Damon seemed unnaturally still.

"Come on Damon. . ." she whispered against the silent, empty room. "Wake up. . . ."

Elena stood up and walked gingerly over to him. She smoothed out his matted hair and blankets. Her eyes were filled with sadness as she looked down upon him. Damon was as still as night, his chest rising and falling ever so lightly. His skin was a paler than normal and seemed very sallow. It was hard for Elena to believe that the man before her was the same Damon Salvatore she knew. The cocky, arrogant, charming, sarcastic, beautiful, cunning, pain in the ass vampire was the same one in front of her. He seemed like a shadow to her now. He seemed innocent, hurt, broken, scared. . . .Elena felt her cheeks grow hot and eyes water. She hated seeing him like this, strapped down to a bed nearly dying in front of her very eyes.

"Damon. . . ." Elena whispered in his ears. She hoped he could hear her-wherever he was. "Come back to us. . . ."

"Elena." Stefan said softly from behind her. Elena walked over to him. "I spoke with Bonnie."

"And? What did she say? Can she fix this?" Elena said rapidly, her heart pounding. "Is he going to be alright?" she looked back at Damon's sleeping form.

"I depends. Bonnie can't fix this." He said gravely, and Elena deflated. "Only Damon can come out of this." He said cryptically.

"What do you mean?" Elena asked slowly.

Stefan watched his sleeping brother with sad eyes. "He's dreaming. His dream is so vivid, he thinks it's real and he's awake. His dream world is constructed on his heart's desires. He's in a perfect world. The only way for Damon to come out of it, is for him to refuse his perfect world. But he doesn't have that much time. His dream is breaking. That's why he's slipping in and out of his dream world. He's not supposed to wake up. It's meant as a trap."

"But he woke up before-" Elena pointed out.

"Yes. Bonnie said because he's a vampire, his will is strong. He's going back and forth right now. He doesn't know what's happening to him, but he believes his dream is reality. We must snap him out of it."

Elena stood there, absorbing all the new info. She sighed and walked over to Damon. Elena placed a hand on his heart. "We might lose him, Stefan." Her voice broke, and a tear escaped down her cheek. Never had she thought she would shed tears for Damon Salvatore.

He watched Elena care for his brother, it made his heart cry. He never thought his brother would die like this. Never. "Don't talk like that." Stefan tried to comfort her.

"He's in a perfect world!" Elena shouted as more tears streaked. "He's gonna choose his perfect world." She whispered as she looked down at him.

"It's Damon! He's going to fight. . .he's actually smart. . .he'll choose right. . ." Stefan was trying to convince himself. "He wouldn't choose-"

"Wouldn't you?" she muttered.

A depressing silence filled the room.

"I'm going to save him." Elena declared as she wiped her tears away. It was time for her to put a brave face on.

"How?"

"I don't know, but I have to try! Damon has saved my life over and over again. . . .and I'm going to repay him." She got up and marched toward the door. She lingered in the door way, and looked back at both of them. "Damon has made the decisions that I hated and hated him for it, but it was always to protect me and I realize that now. He always looked out for me even if it meant being hated for it. And now, I'm going to do the same thing." Elena stormed out.


End file.
